Sliding stairway



DGC. 3, 1929. c LOETSCHER 1,737,799

SLIDING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwwzntoo E C. Loezscfier Dec. 3, 1929. E, c. LQETSCHER 1,737,799

SLIDING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awozweq gwumdozPatented Dec. 3, 1929 PATENT OFFICE EMIL C. LOETSCHER, OF DUBUQUE, IOWASLIDING STAIR'WAY Application filed January 21, 1928. Serial No.248,515.

This invention relates to improvements in Stairways, and particularly tostairways of the type which move through a hatch in a ceiling.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a ceiling hatch with adownwardly swinging hinged door or panel, and to slidably mount on thisdoorway, a stairway which may be concealed above the ceiling when it isnot in use.

The primary object of the present invention is to simplify theconstruction of such devices, and to provide a much more inexpensivestructure.

A further object of the invention is to furnish in such a device, simpleinexpensive means for assisting in raising the stairway and to retardthe lowering of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a com- 29 bination of this type,including a novel braking mechanism which cooperates with the stairwayto retard the downward movement of the latter.

Another object is to provide a stairway of the character which movesthrough a hatchway in a ceiling, with a hinged section that may befolded against the main part of the stairway, when the latter is to bestored.

lVith the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in viewwhich will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists inthe novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in'theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved device with the stairway inlowerposition.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the stairway in itsuppermost position above the ceiling.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged: plan view of the brakin mechanism and a portionof the door.

*ig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one side of the stairway showingthe means for latching the hinged section of the stairway to theremainder of the latter when the hinged'section is folded.

In the drawings, 1 designates a ceiling having a hatch opening 2,adapted to be closed by a swinging door or panel 3, which is hinged tothe doorway at 1.

Brackets 5 are fixed to the panel and preferably arranged at the cornerportions of the latter, and each of. these brackets carries a roller 6,which may be mounted on a ball bearing.

The stairway 7 is preferably formed of stringers 8 and treads 9, andeach stringer consists of a pair of bars spaced apart to provide alongitudinal slot or guideway 10 in which the rollers 6 operate. Stops11 and 12 are arranged at the ends of the guideway, and the stairway ispreferably provided with a hand rail 13.

The stairway may readily slide up and down on the rollers 6, and inorder to retard the downward movement, the following mechanism isprovided. A drum 1 1 is fixed to a shaft 15, journaled in rollerbearings or the like 16, carried by brackets 17 that are secured 'to anintermediate portion of the panel 3. A rope or cable 18 has one of itsends fixed to one of the lower treads of the stairway by any suitablefastening means,

such as a screw-eye 19. This rope or' cable suitable adjustingmeans,'such as turnbuckle 23, to one of the upper treads of thestairway.

The spring 22 always keeps the rope 18 taut,

so that the rope compels the-rotation of the drum when'the stairwayiseither raised or lowered. I

I have combined with the drum, simple and.

inexpensive means for retardingthe rotation of the drum when'thestairway moves down 9 wardly', but which does not interfere with therotation of the drum when the stairway moves upwardly. Such meanscomprises a second rope or cable 24;, wrapped around the drum for a fewturns, as shown at 25. One end of this rope is tied at 26 to a screw-eyeor the 7 like that is fixed to the panel 3, and the other end of thecord is connected to a coiled spring 27, which is connected toaneye-bolt 28 extending through a screw-eye'29 on the paneli On the otherhand, when the stairway moved upwardly, the rope 18 will. turn the drumin a counter-clockwise,direction, and.

this will cause the spring 27 to stretch and loosen the rope 24to'snclreXtent-thatthe brake will not interfere with the operation ofthe drum. 1

In the operation of the device, it will be assumed that the parts areinthe position shown in Fig. '3,'that.i's,'withthe stairway above theceiling 1. .-.At" such time, the overhanging weight of the stairway willtend-to keep the panel closed, but in addition to this,

n I have provided special means for closing the panel and for'retainingit in closed posi-- tioIi. Suchmeans includes coiled springs31 mounted atopposite sides of the stairway. Each of these 'springshasitsu'pper end fixed to the doorway ;at 32', and its other endcona nectedto an eye-bolt 33 (similar to 28) and provided with a thumb nut 34similar to which bears against a screw eye 35; fixed to the panel.Byadjusting the thumb nut 34, the tension of the spring may be varied.

With thepartsabove the ceiling, the operator can move the same intotheposition shownin Fig. 1', by first pulling downwardly I on thesuspended cord 36. This causes the panel to swing on its hinges, andbrings the lower'end of the stairway into a; position where it canbegrasped by the operator. The operator can .then pull the stairwaydownwardly, and-this movement will be retarded bythe braking mechanism.

'WVhen it is desired to return the stairway to its concealed position,the operator simply lifts upwardly on the stairway,a'nd when he hasmoved it high enough, its overhanging weight, together with the springs31, will return the parts to the position'shown in .Fig. 3;

By properly adjusting the springs through 1 the medium .of theturnbuckle 23 "and the thumb ,nut 30;, the operation can be variedsomewhat','and the spring 27. maybe so adjusted that the stairway-willmove down at any speed desired, or the stairway will remain in' anyposition, regardless of the, angle of. the stairway. Furthermore, by asuitable adjustment, the stairway will slowly move downward under itsown weight, .and the friction on the drum can be just sfufiicient toalmost counter-act the effect ofgravity.

When the stairway ismovedto the uppermost position, there is almostsuflicient' counter balance weight in the overhanging portion of thestairway to raise it to the upper closed position. However, withdifferent ceiling heights, this may not always be the case. Therefore,the springs 31 are provided to furnish sufficient tension to balance thepanel and stairway in any position.

Thelowerend of the stairway is preferably formed by a movable or foldingsection 8 which is hinged atSP to the main portion of the stairwayl Whenthe section 8 is folded, it will engaged by spring clips 8, which willhold the same in folded position, as shown in Fig. 3.. I

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation and"advantages-of the invention may be readily understood, andl am awarethat changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as expressed inthe claims. t

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. The combination with a movable door, and a stairway slidably mountedon the same, of a brake drum, means operatively connecting the stairwayto the brake drum'for rotating the latter in oppositedirectrons, whenthe.

stairway moves upwardly or downwardly, and means for retardingthemovement of the brak'e'drum when thelstairway is" moved in onedir'ect-ion',.said retarding means. having no effect on the brake drumwhen the stairway is moved-1n the opposite direction.

and a stairway slidably mounted on the same,

.41; The 'combinationzwith a movable door,

of a brake drum, means ope-rativelyconnecting the stairway to the brakedrum for causing the lattert'o rotate in opposite directions when thestairway moves upwardly or downwardly,

a tension'devic'e for said means, and means for retarding the movementof the brake drum when the stairway is movedinone di rection',saidretardin-g. means havingrno effect on the brake drum when' thestairway is moved in theopposite direction.

The combination with a movable door and a stairway movablymountedon thesame, of a;brake drum, means operatively connecting the brake drum tothestairway for causing.

the brake drum torotate in opposite directions when the stairway ismoved upwardly or downwardly, a tension device for said means, a devicefor adjusting the tension device, and retarding means'connected torth ebrake drum for retarding the movement of the latter in one directiononly. T

LL The combinatlon With-2t movable door having a stairway mov-ablymounted thereon, 1'

of a brake drum, a flexible element passing about the brake drum andhaving its ends con"- nected to theend portions ofthe stairway, re-

silient means forming part of said element-for maintaining the elementta'ut, andiretardingmeans engaging the drum for-retarding th'e movementof the drum in one direction only.

5. The combination with a swinging door having a stairway slidablymounted thereon, of a rotatable drum carried by the door, a flexibleelement wound about the drum and having its ends connected to the endportions of the stairway, means for maintaining said element taut, and abrake cooperating with said drum.

6. The combination with a swinging door and a stairway slidable thereon,of a brake drum, means operatively connecting the stairway to the drumfor causing the latter to retate in opposite directions when thestairway is moved upwardly or downwardly, a brake rope wound about thedrum and having one of its ends fixed at a point adjacent the drum, andresilient means for tensioning the other end of said brake rope.

7. The combination with a hinged door and a stairway slidably mountedthereon, of a drum rotatably mounted on the door, means operativelyconnecting the stairway to the drum for causing the latter to rotatewhen the stairway is moved, a brake rope wound about the drum, means forfixing one end of the brake rope to said door, and adjustable resilientmeans for connecting the other end of the rope to the door.

8. In combination, a hinged door for closing a ceiling doorway, bracketscarried by the door, a stairway slidably mounted on said brackets, abrake drum rotatably mounted on the door, a flexible element passingabout the brake drum, and having its end connected to the end portionsof the stairway, resilient means forming part of said flexible elementfor maintaining the latter taut, a brake rope wound about the drum,means for fixing one end of the brake rope to the door, and adjustableresilient means connecting the other end of the brake rope to the door.

9. In combination, a movable door for closing a ceiling doorway, astairway mounted to move through said doorway, said stairway including ahinged section at its lower end portion adapted to be folded against theunder side of the remainder of the stairway, and means for holding saidsection in its folded position.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

EMIL C. LOETSCHER.

